206 tours catholic pilgrimages

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Via Ferruccio Parri, 9, 40128 Bologna BO, Italy

About the Savhotel:

Savhotel is a very modern 4-star hotel with a trendy character, located just 9 minutes by walking from the Bologna Fair and the Palazzo dei Congressi, easy to reach from the ring road and the highway.

Ideal for those who prefer to travel by car and are looking for a hotel with an internal garage, but also for those traveling by plane, given the distance of only 11 minutes by car from Marconi Airport.

The Central Station and the main shopping street of the city, Via Indipendenza, are easily reachable on foot, as well as being perfectly connected to the hotel through the public service. The hotel has been recently renovated to offer guests a stay in an exclusive and elegant setting.

Contact number: +39 051 361361

• Guest Rooms

The rooms of the SavHotel have undergone a careful restyling and are characterized by a modern style and attention to detail, with welcoming, practical and comfortable environments.

Thanks to dedicated inlet and extraction systems, continuous total air exchange is guaranteed in all rooms every 42 minutes, an essential measure to ensure high levels of safety and hygiene.

CLASSIC BEDROOM

The Classic room is 21 square meters large and has a Queen size double bed, with a 160x200x26 cm mattress or two single beds 100X200X26 cm to ensure a comfortable stay. The floor is made of sound-absorbing PVC, to absorb noise and allow our guests to rest in total tranquility and silence.

The unit offers 1 Queen size double bed or 2 single beds.

In your private bathroom:

• Free toiletries
• Bathtub or shower
• Toilet paper

Room Facilities:

• Air conditioning
• Socket near the bed
• Ironing facilities
• Satellite channels
• Flat-screen TV
• Wake-up service
• Upper floors accessible by elevator

Smoking: No smoking.

Superior bedroom.

The Superior room, finely renovated in 2021, is 24 square meters large, overlooks the quiet internal green area and is equipped with a Super King Size double bed with a 200x200x26 cm mattress and sound-absorbing PVC floor.

The Superior room has a sitting area with designer armchairs, a kettle with tea and infusions, a Nespresso machine with a selection of coffee blends. The bathroom has a spacious shower or bathtub, with bathrobe and slippers, to be able to enjoy a relaxing moment comfortably in your room. For sports and film lovers, each Superior room has a 43’’ LCD LED TV.

The unit offers 1 Super King Size double bed.

• Inner courtyard view
• Coffee machine
• Electric kettle
• Wardrobe or closet

DELUXE BEDROOM

Completely renovated in 2021, the Deluxe room is located on the highest floors of the hotel and has an elegant living room with a modern design. To ensure guest’s rest, the room is equipped with a Super King size double bed with a 200x200x29 cm mattress; there is also a kettle with tea and infusions and a Nespresso machine with a selection of coffee blends. Inside the bathroom there is a spacious shower or bathtub. SavHotel also provides guests with a bathrobe and slippers.

The unit offers 1 Super King size double bed.

• Single-room AC for guest accommodation

• Wine/Champagne Additional charge
• Special diet meals (on request)
• Breakfast in the room

The breakfast buffet area has been completely redesigned to ensure a high level of service security and a rich selection of top quality hot and cold products that will always be available to our guests.

NEROARANCIO RESTAURANT

Our NeroArancio Restaurant is ready to welcome guests every day in its exclusive setting, with an à la carte service in the evening. The menu designed by our Chef, combines the classic dishes of the Bolognese tradition with numerous proposals of national character.

Particular attention is paid to the seasonality of the products and the quality of the raw materials, providing a satisfying culinary experience for our guests. The welcoming and professional service of our staff guarantees moments of pleasant relaxation.

Every morning at the NeroArancio Restaurant, our staff members are ready to say “good morning” to guests with their breakfast service. SavHotel is also pleased to offer an “early bird” option, with a selection of sweet and savoury products and hot and cold drinks corner, available to all guests who need to anticipate their breakfast time.

During the summer months, guests can enjoy breakfast in our Piazzetta surrounded by greenery, a special space where the morning light will give all guests a boost of energy to face the day.

Completely renovated with design elements, comfortable seating and suggestive lighting, the SavHotel “lounge” bar is a trendy and at the same time elegant space, with a service available every day for our guests from 5pm to midnight.

Near the bar, our guests will also find the new Living area, a large and modern space with designer furniture and comfortable seating, perfect for meeting a colleague or relaxing with a drink in complete privacy.

THE PIAZZETTA

Our “Piazzetta” is the brand new outdoor area, surrounded by greenery, that SavHotel has designed to offer our guests a unique area, equipped with comfortable armchairs and large spaces, where guests can enjoy an aperitif, a simple afternoon coffee or a coffee break.

From breakfast to dinner, our “Piazzetta” is ready to offer moments of suggestive relaxation to our guests.

The hotel offers every guest staying in Bologna quality services and a courteous and efficient staff ready to satisfy every request.

If you need to rent a car with or without a driver, book flights and train tickets, reserve guided tours, or simply get advice on museums or restaurants, you can ask our excellent Concierge service.

SOLARIUM WITH JACUZZI

Our rooftop terrace on the sixth floor, with its solarium area and Jacuzzi accessible in the summer, offers all our guests moments of pleasant wellbeing and relaxation. A space dedicated to people, but also to exclusive corporate events in the summer months, where it is possible to organise coffee breaks or impressive aperitifs at sunset.

FITNESS ROOM

Located on the sixth floor of the Savhotel, the fitness centre overlooks our sun terrace and is available free of charge 24 hours a day for all guests who want to exercise and keep fit.

SavHotel boasts a modern Conference Centre consisting of 4 meeting rooms, modular and lit by natural light. All spaces are equipped with free Wi-fi connection in optical fibre at 1000 Mbps, as well as modern screens, projectors, multimedia televisions and a modern sound system.

SavHotel allows all meeting groups to organise banquets, coffee breaks and aperitifs in an exclusive outdoor area surrounded by greenery or in our completely renovated NeroArancio restaurant.

Illuminated on two sides by large windows with natural light, with a private view of the outdoor “Piazzetta”, this meeting room can accommodate up to 70 people in theatre style.

ROOM B AND C

Equipped with natural light, they are set up in an auditorium or with an imperial table. Meeting rooms B and C are ideal for small business meetings and job interviews. Both spaces can be joined together and reach a total area of ​​48 square meters.

Modern and elegant, with a total surface area of 42 square metres and private access to the external “Piazzetta”, it is perfect for organising meetings and gatherings with theatre, horseshoe and imperial table layouts.

Equipped with natural light, directly overlooking our green outdoor area, provides an auditorium layout, school desks or horseshoe layouts and is born from the union of meeting rooms A and B. With its large internal space of 96 square meters, it is ideal for training courses and business meetings.

PLENARY ROOM

Modern and elegant, with its 120 square metres, this is the largest room in the congress centre and is formed by the union of rooms A+B+C. The brightness of the rooms and the large spaces it has, overlooking the outdoor “Piazzetta”, make this room ideal for large meetings and events.

Our Boardroom is the new business space that SavHotel offers to all its corporate clients, perfect for a few hours of computer work or to meet a colleague in complete privacy.

• Shared lounge/TV area
• Smoke-free property
• Facilities for disabled guests
• Non-smoking rooms
• Room service
• Outdoor furniture

Pets are allowed on request. No extra charges.

Accessibility

• Bathroom emergency cord
• Raised toilet
• Toilet with grab rails

Private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed) and costs € 10 per day.

• Parking garage
• Accessible parking

Front Desk Services

• Invoice provided
• Baggage storage
• 24-hour front desk

Cleaning Services

• Daily housekeeping
• Ironing service Additional charge
• Dry cleaning  Additional charge 
• Laundry  Additional charge

Languages Spoken

View All Our Pilgrimages

Special Pilgrimages

Any questions? Call: 800-206-TOUR (8687) or Email Us

Why travel with 206 Tours? Read letters from our clients

Give the gift of a Pilgrimage with a 206 Tours Gift Certificate

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Exploring Catholic Moscow: History, beauty and where to worship

Catholicism has become such an integral part of Moscow and the lives of its inhabitants, that even many non-Catholics have added Catholic Christmas on December 25 to their list of winter holidays. These days the winter holiday hustle and bustle in Moscow begins in the middle of December and continues until mid-January when Russians celebrate one of their most mysterious holidays – Old New Year.

Many of Moscow’s Catholic sights emerged in the 18th century. These include Gothic Roman Catholic cathedrals, old mansions and Orthodox church dedicated to Pope St. Clement I .  

1. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary (27/13 Malaya Gruzinskaya ul.)

This is the  largest Catholic cathedral in Russia . It was founded at the beginning of the 20th century on Malaya Gruzinskaya ul. where a large Polish diaspora community lived. During the Soviet period this cathedral shared the fate of many houses of worship: at first it was closed down, and later reformatted into a Soviet secular institution. Only in 1999 did this Roman Catholic church reopen to its congregation in its original Neo-Gothic form.

Today concerts of spiritual music are regularly held, there is an acting congregational choir and Christmas is celebrated according to Catholic rules: They put up the nativity scene, decorate fir trees, build booths for a charitable fair and organize concerts of organ music. On Christmas Eve a solemn mass and a parish dinner are held.

2. Vatican Embassy in the Russian Federation (7/37 Vadkovsky pereulok)

The Vatican Embassy in Moscow is notable first and foremost for its building, a gorgeous Art Nouveau mansion. It opens up to the public twice a year, both during the Days of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow in April and May (guided tours are provided). Despite the numerous contacts between the Vatican and the Russian Empire, official diplomatic relations between the two states were only established in 1990 and at the time only at the level of permanent diplomatic missions. In 2009, after the visit of then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the mission’s status was upgraded to full relations with an embassy.

3. St. Clement’s Church (26/1 Pyatnitskaya ul.)

Snuggled in between Malaya Ordynka and Pyatnitskaya streets, St. Clement’s Church is dedicated to this Roman Pope, a saint revered equally by the Orthodox and Catholic churches.

The blue and golden domes of this church overlook a recently renovated area of Zamoskvorechye, an old Moscow district that has retained much of its charm. You should definitely have a walk along the European-style promenade with its cycling trail, access to pedestrian streets and many trendy cafes.

4. Vvedenskoye cemetery (1 Nalichnaya ulitsa)

The Vvedenskoye cemetery (also referred to as the German cemetery) in southeast Moscow is full of mausoleums and monuments created by famous architects. Up until the Soviet period the cemetery was the final resting place for members of the capital’s Catholic and Protestant population, as well as foreign soldiers that died during various conflicts. Since its opening in 1771 this cemetery has become a site of cultural heritage and today guided tours are offered in English, German and French.

Great scientists, actors, writers and artists have been buried here, along with Peter the Great’s associates Franz Lefort and Patrick Gordon , French soldiers that died in Moscow during Napoleon's invasion and pilots from the Normandie-Niemen Regiment (in the 1950s their remains were transferred to France, but the memorial is still preserved).

5. Duchess Zinaida Volkonskaya’s mansion (14 Tverskaya ul.)

It's a paradox, but the luxurious Yeliseyevsky store on Tverskaya ul. is also connected with the history of Catholicism in Moscow. The market where you can buy replica Fabergé eggs filled with vodka and the most expensive baguette in the city used to be the center of Moscow's cultural life – the secular salon of Duchess Zinaida Volkonskaya , a representative of high nobility and a patron of arts. Volkonskaya, who lived here in the 1820s, was known for her conversion from Orthodox Christianity to Catholicism, a very brave move at a time when changing religious confessions was considered a crime punishable by the confiscation of property.

6. The Church of St. Louis of France (12A Malaya Lubyanka ul.)

The Church of St. Louis of France is hidden in the backyard of a district that was once famous for housing the KGB headquarters. During the Soviet period it was the only place in Moscow where Catholic services were regularly held. The U.S. Consulate chaplain Leopold Braun, who conducted mass here while living in Moscow from 1936-1945, was something akin to a head of the Catholic Church in the Soviet Union for a time.

Today the cathedral is thriving: Catholic masses are held in seven languages ranging from Italian to Vietnamese and every year on March 26 during the Days of the Historical and Cultural heritage of Moscow guided tours are organized. These tours come highly recommended, as many interesting events have occurred here since its founding by order of Catherine the Great in 1789.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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Pilgrimage routes and the cult of the relic

Basilica Ste-Madeleine, Vézelay, France, dedicated 1104 (photo: Dr. Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The end of the world

Y2K. The Rapture. 2012. For over a decade, speculation about the end of the world has run rampant—all in conjunction with the arrival of the new millennium. The same was true for our religious European counterparts who, prior to the year 1000, believed the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, and the end was nigh.

When the apocalypse failed to materialize in 1000, it was decided that the correct year must be 1033, a thousand years from the death of Jesus Christ, but then that year also passed without any cataclysmic event.

Just how extreme the millennial panic was, remains debated. It is certain that from the year 950 onwards, there was a significant increase in building activity, particularly of religious structures. There were many reasons for this construction boom beside millennial panic, and the building of monumental religious structures continued even as fears of the immediate end of time faded.

Not surprisingly, this period also witnessed a surge in the popularity of the religious pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. These are acts of piety and may have been undertaken in gratitude for the fact that doomsday had not arrived, and to ensure salvation, whenever the end did come.

Map of pilgrimage routes (image adapted from: Manfred Zentgraf, Volkach, Germany)

The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

Pilgrims from the tympanum of Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun (photo: Holly Hayes, Art History Images)

For the average European in the 12th Century, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem was out of the question—travel to the Middle East was too far, too dangerous and too expensive. Santiago de Compostela in Spain offered a much more convenient option.

To this day, hundreds of thousands of faithful travel the “Way of Saint James” to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. They go on foot across Europe to a holy shrine where bones, believed to belong to Saint James, were unearthed. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela now stands on this site.

The pious of the Middle Ages wanted to pay homage to holy relics, and pilgrimage churches sprang up along the route to Spain. Pilgrims commonly walked barefoot and wore a scalloped shell, the symbol of Saint James (the shell’s grooves symbolize the many roads of the pilgrimage).

In France alone there were four main routes toward Spain. Le Puy, Arles, Paris and Vézelay are the cities on these roads and each contains a church that was an important pilgrimage site in its own right.

Why make a pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was an expression of Christian devotion and it was believed that it could purify the soul and perhaps even produce miraculous healing benefits. A criminal could travel the “Way of Saint James” as an act penance. For the everyday person, a pilgrimage was also one of the only opportunities to travel and see some of the world. It was a chance to meet people, perhaps even those outside one’s own class. The purpose of pilgrimage may not have been entirely devotional.

The cult of the relic

Reliquary of St. Foy at Conque Abbey (photo: Holly Hayes, Art History images)

Pilgrimage churches can be seen in part as popular desinations, a spiritual tourism of sorts for medieval travelers. Guidebooks, badges and various souvenirs were sold. Pilgrims, though traveling light, would spend money in the towns that possessed important sacred relics.

The cult of relic was at its peak during the Romanesque period (c. 1000 – 1200). Relics are religious objects generally connected to a saint, or some other venerated person. A relic might be a body part, a saint’s finger, a cloth worn by the Virgin Mary, or a piece of the True Cross.

Relics are often housed in a protective container called a reliquary. Reliquarys are often quite opulent and can be encrusted with precious metals and gemstones given by the faithful. An example is the Reliquary of Saint Foy, located at Conques abbey on the pilgrimage route. It is said to hold a piece of the child martyr’s skull. A large pilgrimage church might be home to one major relic, and dozens of lesser-known relics. Because of their sacred and economic value, every church wanted an important relic and a black market boomed with fake and stolen goods.

Portal, Cathedral of Saint Lazare, Autun, 12th century

Accommodating crowds

St. Sernin, Toulouse (plan)

Pilgrimage churches were constructed with some special features to make them particularly accessible to visitors. The goal was to get large numbers of people to the relics and out again without disturbing the Mass in the center of the church. A large portal that could accommodate the pious throngs was a prerequisite. Generally, these portals would also have an elaborate sculptural program, often portraying the Second Coming—a good way to remind the weary pilgrim why they made the trip!

A pilgrimage church generally consisted of a double aisle on either side of the nave (the wide hall that runs down the center of a church). In this way, the visitor could move easily around the outer edges of the church until reaching the smaller apsidioles or radiating chapels. These are small rooms generally located off the back of the church behind the altar where relics were often displayed. The faithful would move from chapel to chapel venerating each relic in turn.

Thick walls, small windows

The thrust of a barrel vault

Romanesque churches were dark. This was in large part because of the use of stone barrel-vault construction. This system provided excellent acoustics and reduced fire danger. However, a barrel vault exerts continuous lateral (outward pressure) all along the walls that support the vault.

This meant the outer walls of the church had to be extra thick. It also meant that windows had to be small and few. When builders dared to pierce walls with additional or larger windows they risked structural failure. Churches did collapse.

Nave, Tournus Cathedral, 11th century

Groin vault

Later, the masons of the Gothic period replaced the barrel vault with the groin vault which carries weight down to its four corners, concentrating the pressure of the vaulting, and allowing for much larger windows.

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14.4: Pilgrimage Routes

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The End of the World

Y2K. The Rapture. 2012. For over a decade, speculation about the end of the world has run rampant—all in conjunction with the arrival of the new millennium. The same was true for our religious European counterparts who, prior to the year 1000, believed the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, and the end was nigh.

When the apocalypse failed to materialize in 1000, it was decided that the correct year must be 1033, a thousand years from the death of Jesus Christ, but then that year also passed without any cataclysmic event.

Just how extreme the millennial panic was, remains debated. It is certain that from the year 950 onwards, there was a significant increase in building activity, particularly of religious structures. There were many reasons for this construction boom beside millennial panic, and the building of monumental religious structures continued even as fears of the immediate end of time faded.

Not surprisingly, this period also witnessed a surge in the popularity of the religious pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. They are acts of piety and may have been undertaken in gratitude for the fact that doomsday had not arrived, and to ensure salvation, whenever the end did come.

The Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

For the average European in the twelfth Century, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Jerusalem was out of the question—travel to the Middle East was too far, too dangerous and too expensive. Santiago de Compostela in Spain offered a much more convenient option.

To this day, hundreds of thousands of faithful travel the “Way of Saint James” to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. They go on foot across Europe to a holy shrine where bones, believed to belong to Saint James, were unearthed. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela now stands on this site.

The pious of the Middle Ages wanted to pay homage to holy relics, and pilgrimage churches sprang up along the route to Spain. Pilgrims commonly walked barefoot and wore a scalloped shell, the symbol of Saint James (the shell’s grooves symbolize the many roads of the pilgrimage).

In France alone there were four main routes toward Spain. Le Puy, Arles, Paris and Vézelay are the cities on these roads and each contains a church that was an important pilgrimage site in its own right.

Why make a Pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was an expression of Christian devotion and it was believed that it could purify the soul and perhaps even produce miraculous healing benefits. A criminal could travel the “Way of Saint James” as an act penance. For the everyday person, a pilgrimage was also one of the only opportunities to travel and see some of the world. It was a chance to meet people, perhaps even those outside one’s own class. The purpose of pilgrimage may not have been entirely devotional.

The Cult of the Relic

Pilgrimage churches can be seen in part as popular destinations, a spiritual tourism of sorts for medieval travelers. Guidebooks, badges and various souvenirs were sold. Pilgrims, though traveling light, would spend money in the towns that possessed important sacred relics.

The cult of relic was at its peak during the Romanesque period (c. 1000–1200 CE). Relics are religious objects generally connected to a saint, or some other venerated person. A relic might be a body part, a saint’s finger, a cloth worn by the Virgin Mary, or a piece of the True Cross. Relics are often housed in a protective container called a reliquary. Reliquaries are often quite opulent and can be encrusted with precious metals and gemstones given by the faithful. An example is the Reliquary of Saint Foy, located at Conques abbey on the pilgrimage route. It is said to hold a piece of the child martyr’s skull. A large pilgrimage church might be home to one major relic, and dozens of lesser-known relics. Because of their sacred and economic value, every church wanted an important relic and a black market boomed with fake and stolen goods.

Accommodating Crowds

Pilgrimage churches were constructed with some special features to make them particularly accessible to visitors. The goal was to get large numbers of people to the relics and out again without disturbing the Mass in the center of the church. A large portal that could accommodate the pious throngs was a prerequisite. Generally, these portals would also have an elaborate sculptural program, often portraying the Second Coming—a good way to remind the weary pilgrim why they made the trip!

A pilgrimage church generally consisted of a double aisle on either side of the nave (the wide hall that runs down the center of a church). In this way, the visitor could move easily around the outer edges of the church until reaching the smaller apsidioles or radiating chapels. These are small rooms generally located off the back of the church behind the altar where relics were often displayed. The faithful would move from chapel to chapel venerating each relic in turn.

Thick Walls, Small Windows

Romanesque churches were dark. This was in large part because of the use of stone barrel-vault construction (Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\)). This system provided excellent acoustics and reduced fire danger. However, a barrel vault exerts continuous lateral (outward pressure) all along the walls that support the vault.

This meant the outer walls of the church had to be extra thick. It also meant that windows had to be small and few. When builders dared to pierce walls with additional or larger windows they risked structural failure. Churches did collapse.

Later, the masons of the Gothic period replaced the barrel vault with the groin vault which carries weight down to its four corners, concentrating the pressure of the vaulting, and allowing for much larger windows.

Contributors and Attributions

• Pilgrimage Routes & the Cult of the Relic. Authored by : Christine M. Bolli. Provided by : Khan Academy. Located at : https://web.archive.org/web/20140215032132/http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/pilgrimage-routes.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Pilgrimage routes (adapted by author). Authored by : Mr. Zentraf. Located at : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stjacquescompostelle1.png . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Barrel vault. Authored by : MesserWoland. Located at : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arch_illustration.svg . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• St. Foy Reliquary. Authored by : Successive artists from the 9th to 14th centuries. Located at : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reliquaire_de_sainte_foy.jpg. License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright